Defying the Odds
by convolutedthinker
Summary: At age 10, Ariel became an orphan when her parents and Aunt Natasha died in a fire caused by a nearby mine explosion. While she lives a relatively peaceful life with her relatives, she can't help but wonder what else she could be doing. Then one day, everything changes...
1. Background Info

_*Character Info_

Name: Ariel Carina Walker

Physical description: black hair with natural brown highlights, just past her shoulders

blue eyes (brown before the mako infusion)

5 ft 3

Personality: serious with a bit of humor

has a pretty good poker face

hates losing arguments and people ordering her around

tends to be sarcastic when irritated

Hobbies: origami

listening to music

being in the water

Random facts: favorite color is blue, LOVES chocolate

Age/birthday: 17 years old (start)

Zodiac symbol Sagittarius

Born 7/16/0001

Family: only child of Clinton and Natalie Walker,

orphaned at age ten and adopted by her uncle

currently lives with him and her cousin

- Sean Citrine: 43 years old

dirty blond hair, hazel eyes

- Dave Citrine: 19 years old

sandy hair and hazel eyes, 5 ft 8


	2. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, convoluted thinker here! I'm pretty excited about this, I've wanted to do a FFVII fanfic since forever. Let me know what you think!**

**Chapter 1**

_Bring! Bring! Bring! _I jerk awake, blinking the sleep out of my eyes. Groaning, I slam a hand on my alarm clock, silencing it.

"Dammit, it's too early…" I mutter as I quickly grab a jacket and head downstairs. I mean, I know that being a blacksmith's assistant requires being up painfully early…but that didn't mean I had to like it! Good thing I was already dressed for work.

Why was a girl working in for a blacksmith, you wonder? Well first of all, the blacksmith was my uncle. Secondly, I owe my uncle a LOT.

I'm getting ahead of myself, so let me back up a bit. I live in the town Rais - we're known for our coal mining and metalworking industries. In fact, we've supplied Shinra with most of their weapons for the past decade or so.

Unfortunately, as I'm sure you know, mines are highly accident prone, and….some accidents are fatal.

When I was ten, a mining explosion set fire to a couple of nearby buildings. My dad, who had been working in the mines, died in the initial explosion. As for my mom…. she and my aunt were in a nearby convenience store that caught fire and…well, think you know.

I'm doing okay, though. After all, I still have my relatives, and my cousin Dave is my best friend.

"About time you woke up, sleepyhead. Dad's getting pretty hammered with orders this morning," Dave comments, leaning on the kitchen counter. I roll my eyes at him. _Speak of the devil and he shall appear…_

"Yes, because OBVIOUSLY it's easy to wake up at 6 am every morning…."

"Never said it was easy. And you knew what you were signing up for. Here," he hands me a thermos. "Your morning caffeine."

I smiled; he knew just how to wake me up. "Thanks Dave, love you!" I call, grabbing a piece of toast off his plate and running out the door.

"Hey, that was mine! Ari!"

"Sorry Sean, I-"

"Just woke up? I figured. Just get to work!" he yells over the clanging of hammers on hot metal. I nod and grabb my equipment, quickly getting to work.

"What's the ruckus about? We haven't had this many orders since the beginning of the Wutai war," I shout, trying to make myself heard over the noise.

"Well, you know the Mako reactor that's being built outside town? The other men in town think there's suspicious activity around there, so they're going to check it out in a few days."

Right, the new reactor. Development started on it about two weeks ago, and it'll probably be awhile until it's functional. Personally, I'm not in any rush. I know most people were excited about the popularity the reactor could bring to Rais, but I felt that we were successful enough with our metalworking that we didn't need it.

Hell, I don't want the thing within 10 feet of my town - I mean, we didn't need any more safety hazards- but how do you go against Shinra? Oh wait. You can't.

"Well, we better make sure they're well-armed. I'm not having anyone's death on my hands today," I grunt, carefully grinding and sharpening the edge of a near-completed sword.

_Wonder what's going on up there…_

**_*Author's notes_**

**_Rais doesn't exist in the original story. I find it much easier to create and integrate a new town into the storyline then to try and adjust events that happened in the original story._**

**_'Grinding' is an actual step in the bladesmithing process where you sharpen and polish the blade. Look it up if you don't believe me._**

**_Reviews are appreciated :)_**


	3. Chapter 2

**Sorry about the wait guys, I've been pretty busy lately! Anyways, here's Ch 2, and let me know if it's any good!**

**Chapter 2**

"And you've got your-"

"Yes, _Mom_, I have that too," Dave cuts me off sarcastically, and I stick my tongue out at him. "Ari, I'll be fine, don't worry. You should be used to this already, why are you so nervous today?"

I grimace, not looking at him. "I don't know, I just have a bad feeling…can't I come with you?"

"No. You've got your job, and I'm going to do mine. Now skedaddle, don't be late AGAIN," he teases me.

I scowl at him before turning away from him and stalking to the door. Sure, I'm being childish… but I really did have a bad feeling about today.

"Hey." Dave's voice stops me, and I sigh and turn around. He tweaks my nose and tells me," I want pizza for dinner." His childish pout makes me burst out laughing.

"You got it."

"…35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. All right, we've finished this order. Ariel, I'll let you go early today, "Uncle Sean announces, and I breathe a sigh of relief. "Why don't you go hang out in the square?"

"I'll…think about it. See you at home." I hurry out, glad to leave the stuffy workshop.

That being said, I was NOT going to go to the square. Even though Uncle Sean suggested it, I wasn't inclined to go to the square. There were still too many memories of me being with my mom there…

At home, though, I realize there's nothing to do. I decide to take a walk, so I quickly grab my bag and head back out.

I finally reach my destination: the outskirts of town, close to where the reactor is being built. This is my quiet spot: no one really comes here, so this is the place where I hang out when I want privacy.

That's another reason I'm not too happy about the reactor. With all of the construction going on nearby, it's likely I'll lose this spot.

Sighing, I flop down on the ground and stare at said reactor. It really isn't anywhere near being finished yet, and if someone actually managed to mess things up over there, maybe the project would be delayed. And to be honest, I'd be completely fine with that. I HATE reactors.

But that was only MY opinion. Having this reactor WOULD help, and who am I to take that away from everyone else?

It's so easy for me to get lost in my own world when I'm stressed - and believe me, right now I was stressed out. So of course I'm startled when I hear someone calling my name, and I whirl around so fast I almost fall over.

"Whoa, careful there Ari!" Dave laughs at me, and I immediately flush in embarrassment. At the same time, though, I'm thinking:

_Oh, thank Gaia. Guess I was being paranoid again._

"Now didn't I tell you I'd be fine?" he chuckles, and I can't help give him a small smile in return. I roll my eyes and punch him lightly in the arm.

"Yeah, yeah, go on teasing me. Wonder what'll end up in your dinner tonight…" I smirk at him, and he mock gasps.

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me!"

The two of us laugh, and we start walking back to our house. I look back once towards the reactor, and despite part of me insisting that nothing's wrong, another part of me thinks:

_Something's about to happen. I know it._

**_Reviews are appreciated :)_**


End file.
